Effective Sept. 1, councils will have the ability to award National Certificates of Merit and Medals of Merit to their members.
The National Certificate of Merit is awarded when a member has performed a significant act of service that is deserving of special national recognition.
The Medal of Merit is awarded when a member has performed an act of service of a rare or exceptional character that reflects an uncommon degree of concern for the well-being of others.
The board of directors passed a resolution at the National Annual Meeting to amend the bylaws and give more control to councils to award these honors. Under this amendment, local councils will establish a Council Merit Awards Committee to consider applications for National Certificates of Merit and Medals of Merit for individuals residing within that council. The council’s executive board will locally make the final approval decisions.
Applications for the Honor Medal and the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms will still be reviewed and considered by the National Court of Honor.
Councils should review and follow the implementation guidelines and be ready to implement this change on Sept. 1, 2014. If you have questions about this change, please contact Velma Cooks.